Taking life as it comes

Performance Review

I had my performance review this week. I've never heard my boss even give polite criticism to anyone before, let alone say anything negative in a performance review. This year, though, has actually been exceptional, I think. We've been through a lot, besides being short-staffed the entire year. Because one of the other more senior advisers is on leave this semester, my boss and I are the only two people who have been here for more than one semester, and numerous other things were going on. He pretty much told me that he couldn't have done it without me, and that he considers me his right hand. That's always nice to hear, but when he doesn't have any control over salary/promotion/other good things that happen at work, it can still feel a little frustrating.

And my fellow educators will also sympathize with my frustration with students who have been trained to only ask, "will that be on the exam?" when confronted with information and knowledge. And to have that question be the public goal of education is just awful.

While I don't hate my job, and actually enjoy it most of the time, I do sometimes feel like I need a little something to protect my soul.

Especially when I begin to dread Mondays like I dread returning from a vacation.